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| Kurt Busch posted at 20/1 odds to win at Homestead |
It was at the 1.5-mile intermediate South Florida track where Busch held off Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon to capture the 2004 Cup championship, the first year of NASCAR’s Chase playoff format.
“Since 2004 there’s been a nostalgic feeling when I get to Homestead,” said Busch. “Winning the championship in the first year of the Chase was a magical time for me. But right now the focus is on the present, not the past.
“This will be my final ride with Furniture Row Racing and I want to make it a good one. We have plenty to shoot for when the green flag drops on Sunday.”
Busch, who is coming off a fifth-place finish at Phoenix, is positioned in 10th place in the Chase driver point standings.
“We want to be 10th or better in the final point standings,” said Busch, a seven-time Chase participant. “Being in the top-10 not only has a better ring to it, but it shows how far this single-car team out of Colorado has come in a short period of time and how well it has fared against the big dogs of the sport.”
An added perk for finishing in the top-10 is that Busch would be invited to speak at the NASCAR’s awards banquet, Dec. 6 at the Wynn Hotel in his hometown of Las Vegas.
But there’s more to shoot for at Homestead than a podium appearance at the annual awards gala.
“This is our last chance to take the Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet to Victory Lane,” said Busch, a 2002 winner at Homestead. “There’s nothing I want more for these Furniture Row guys who have worked so hard all year to give me a fast race car.
“Though we have a bunch of top-fives (11) and top-10s (16) we don’t have that W. A victory would cap off an already successful season for our single-car team. It’s been a great ride with a great bunch of guys and with an outstanding organization led by team owner Barney Visser.”
Speaking of top fives, Busch is tied for third with 11 top-five finishes this season. He also is one top-five finish shy of equaling his most top-fives in a season of 12, set in 2002.
Busch has also scored three top-five finishes in the nine Chase races. He was fourth in the Chase opener at Chicago, second at Kansas and fifth at Phoenix.
“Outside of those three races we seemed to have hit a brick wall in the Chase,” noted Busch. “But to finish fifth last week was a big moment and gives us plenty of momentum heading into Homestead.”
Busch’s 2013 Sprint Cup Series Results
Date
|
Event
|
St
|
Fn
|
Laps
|
Led
|
Status
|
Money
|
Points
|
Standing
| |
2/24
|
Daytona 500
|
11
|
28
|
195/200
|
0
|
Running
|
336,234
|
16
|
26
| |
3/3
|
Phoenix
|
25
|
27
|
315/316
|
0
|
Running
|
102,920
|
17/33
|
29
| |
3/10
|
Las Vegas
|
24
|
20
|
266/267
|
0
|
Running
|
129,275
|
24/57
|
29
| |
3/17
|
Bristol
|
19
|
4
|
500/500
|
1
|
Running
|
134,255
|
41/98
|
16
| |
3/24
|
Fontana
|
10
|
5
|
200/200
|
0
|
Running
|
146,585
|
39/137
|
13
| |
4/7
|
Martinsville
|
19
|
37
|
457/500
|
0
|
Accident
|
102,961
|
7/144
|
19
| |
4/13
|
Fort Worth
|
2
|
37
|
316/334
|
0
|
Running
|
117,603
|
7/151
|
24
| |
4/21
|
Kansas
|
13
|
15
|
267/267
|
0
|
Running
|
112,855
|
29/180
|
22
| |
4/27
|
Richmond
|
14
|
9
|
406/406
|
36
|
Running
|
114,630
|
36/216
|
20
| |
5/5
|
Talladega
|
33
|
30
|
182/192
|
2
|
Accident
|
116,325
|
15/231
|
20
| |
5/11
|
Darlington
|
1
|
14
|
367/367
|
69
|
Running
|
122,975
|
31/262
|
18
| |
5/26
|
Charlotte
|
2
|
3
|
400/400
|
8
|
Running
|
218,560
|
42/304
|
18
| |
6/2
|
Dover
|
13
|
12
|
400/400
|
8
|
Running
|
128,575
|
33/337
|
17
| |
6/9
|
Pocono
|
20
|
7
|
200/200
|
0
|
Running
|
119,430
|
37/374
|
15
| |
6/16
|
Michigan
|
2
|
35
|
193/200
|
21
|
Running
|
107,340
|
10/384
|
20
| |
6/23
|
Sonoma
|
7
|
4
|
110/110
|
15
|
Running
|
154,860
|
41/425
|
17
| |
6/30
|
Kentucky
|
27
|
6
|
267/267
|
0
|
Running
|
116,455
|
38/463
|
14
| |
7/6
|
Daytona
|
22
|
6
|
161/161
|
0
|
Running
|
150,485
|
38/501
|
9
| |
7/14
|
N. Hampshire
|
2
|
31
|
283/302
|
102
|
Running
|
110,430
|
15/516
|
14
| |
7/28
|
Indianapolis
|
6
|
14
|
160/160
|
0
|
Running
|
192,270
|
30/546
|
14
| |
8/4
|
Pocono
|
5
|
3
|
160/160
|
9
|
Running
|
153,930
|
42/588
|
13
| |
8/11
|
Watkins Glen
|
13
|
9
|
90/90
|
0
|
Running
|
111,330
|
35/623
|
11
| |
8/18
|
Michigan
|
2
|
3
|
200/200
|
43
|
Running
|
136,315
|
42/665
|
9
| |
8/24
|
Bristol
|
2
|
31
|
476/500
|
54
|
Running
|
122,740
|
14/679
|
12
| |
9/1
|
Atlanta
|
32
|
4
|
325/325
|
0
|
Running
|
65,235
|
40/719
|
10
| |
9/7
|
Richmond
|
2
|
2
|
400/400
|
73
|
Running
|
185,355
|
43/821*
|
8*
| |
9/15
|
Chicagoland
|
16
|
4
|
267/267
|
0
|
Running
|
169,960
|
40/2040
|
6
| |
9/22
|
N. Hampshire
|
4
|
13
|
300/300
|
0
|
Running
|
115,830
|
31/2071
|
7
| |
9/29
|
Dover
|
9
|
21
|
397/400
|
0
|
Running
|
108,155
|
23/2094
|
9
| |
10/6
|
Kansas
|
19
|
2
|
267/267
|
0
|
Running
|
229,810
|
42/2136
|
7
| |
10/12
|
Charlotte
|
10
|
14
|
333/334
|
0
|
Running
|
110,280
|
30/2166
|
7
| |
10/20
|
Talladega
|
30
|
18
|
188/188
|
3
|
Running
|
113,030
|
27/2193
|
9
| |
10/27
|
Martinsville
|
19
|
18
|
499/500
|
0
|
Running
|
109,155
|
26/2219
|
9
| |
11/3
|
Fort Worth
|
31
|
17
|
333/334
|
0
|
Running
|
133,505
|
27/2246
|
10
| |
11/10
|
Phoenix
|
8
|
5
|
312/312
|
0
|
Running
|
137,630
|
39/2285
|
10
| |
Avg. Start: 13.54 Avg. Finish: 14.51 Laps Led: 444 Top 5s: 11 Top 10s: 16
Poles: 1 Outside Poles: 7 Money: $4,837,283 *Reseeded 10th after Chase points were reset
Busch’s Career Record Homestead-Miami Speedway
Year
|
Start
|
Finish
|
Status/Laps
|
Laps Led
|
Earnings
|
2000
|
10
|
19
|
Running, 264/267
|
0
|
$50,300
|
2001
|
32
|
23
|
Running, 267/267
|
0
|
49,550
|
2002
|
1
|
1
|
Running, 267/267
|
28
|
297,100
|
2003
|
7
|
36
|
Running, 147/267
|
0
|
63,760
|
2004
|
1
|
5
|
Running, 271/271
|
4
|
130,650
|
2005
|
DNE
| ||||
2006
|
36
|
43
|
Accident, 9/268
|
0
|
100,506
|
2007
|
5
|
2
|
Running, 267/267
|
17
|
263,808
|
2008
|
38
|
43
|
Accident, 207/267
|
0
|
61,876
|
2009
|
12
|
4
|
Running, 267/267
|
43
|
157,275
|
2010
|
15
|
18
|
Running, 267/267
|
0
|
112,898
|
2011
|
4
|
34
|
Running, 220/267
|
0
|
108,450
|
2012
|
26
|
9
|
Running, 267/267
|
0
|
107,318
|
Homestead-Miami Speedway Totals
Races
|
Win
|
T5
|
T10
|
Pole
|
Laps Led
|
Laps Completed
|
AvgSt
|
AvgFn
|
DNF
|
Money
|
12
|
1
|
4
|
5
|
2
|
92
|
2720 of 3209 – 84.8%
|
15.6
|
19.8
|
2
|
$1,503,491
|
Furniture Row Over-the-Wall Crew
| Front-tire changer | Matt Humphries, Conover, N.C. |
| Front-tire carrier | Thad Wymer, Thomasville, N.C. |
| Rear-tire changer | Jake Lind, Welcome, N.C. |
| Rear-tire carrier | Josh Sobecki, New Kensington, Pa. |
| Jackman | Brian Gainey, Moline, Ill. |
| Gasman | Milan Rudanovic, Sussex, N.J. |
| 2nd Gasman | Ryan Bergenty, Plainville, Conn. |
Furniture Row Road Crew
| General Manager | Joe Garone, Denver, Colo. |
| Crew Chief | Todd Berrier, Kernersville, N.C. |
| Competition Director | Pete Rondeau, Saco, Maine |
| Car Chief | Blake Harris, Maypearl, Texas |
| Engineers | Cole Pearn, London, Ontario, Matt Faulkner, Memphis, Tenn. |
| Spotters | Rick Carelli, Arvada, Colo., Clayton Hughes, Thomasville, N.C. |
| Engine Specialist/Builder | Scott Meesters, Hanford, Calif., Earnhardt-Childress Racing |
| Shock Specialist | Nick Kerlin, Old Fort, Ohio |
| Tire Specialist | Chad Krauch, Loveland, Colo. |
| Technical Support | Michael McCullough, Imperial, Calif. |
| Mechanics | Ryan Bergenty, Plainville, Conn. , Gary Frost, Romeo, Mich. |
| Transportation |
Henry Benfield (also gas runner) Statesville, N.C.
Jason Churgin, San Fernando Valley, Calif., Jim Gilbert, Belleville, IL.
Dave Hicks, Montcalm, WVa. Chuck Lemay, DeKalb, IL
|
- DMF Communications for Furniture Row Racing
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